System for drying items stored in a bag

ABSTRACT

A system for drying items stored in a bag is provided including a bag defining an upper compartment and a lower compartment, the lower compartment having one or more openings selectively closed by a door. The lower compartment of the bag is configured to selectively receive a removable container including permeable sides and an open top.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to bags, and in particular, in one form, a bag configured to receive a removable container and ventilate items stored in the container when received in the bag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bags are oftentimes used to transport or store items which regularly become wet. For example, there are many bags designed to transport breast pump machines and related items. After use, certain components of the breast pump must be cleaned and allowed to dry on a sanitary surface. In certain environments, such a sanitary surface may not be readily available, or a pumping mother may not wish to leave these items in view of the general public.

What is needed in the art is a convenient means to allow pumping mothers to store items in a discrete location while still allowing the items to properly dry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bags, and in particular, in one form, a bag configured to receive a removable container and ventilate items stored in the container when received in the bag. In particular, the bag defines an upper compartment and a lower compartment which is configured to selectively receive the removable container. The bag includes a front side formed of an upper panel and a lower panel and a rear side formed of an upper panel and a lower panel. The bag further includes a bottom panel at the bottom of the bag and an intermediate panel positioned between and separating the upper compartment and the lower compartment.

The upper compartment is defined by the upper panel of the front side of the bag, the upper panel of the rear side of the bag, and the intermediate panel. The lower compartment is defined by the lower panel of the front side of the bag, the lower panel of the rear side of the bag, the bottom panel, and the intermediate panel.

Each of the lower panels define an opening to the lower compartment. That is to say, the lower panel of the front side of the bag defines a first, or front, opening to the lower compartment and the lower panel of the rear side of the bag defines a second, or rear, opening to the lower compartment. The front opening of the lower compartment is selectively closed by a front door, or flap, and the rear opening of the lower compartment is selectively closed by a rear door, or flap. When the flaps are in a closed position, the flap is substantially aligned with the surrounding lower panel, and when the flap is in an open position, the flap is rotated away from the opening to provide unobstructed access to the lower compartment.

With respect to the exemplary container of the present invention, the container includes a bottom and permeable sides which define an open top of the container. In some embodiment, the exemplary container is formed of a rigid material and the sides define a plurality of holes which allow air to readily flow through the sides of the container and allow water vapor to exit the container. In other embodiments of the present invention, other materials and constructions of a container are utilized which still provide for a porous container. Regardless of the particular construction of the container, the container is configured to slide into the lower compartment of the bag, such that, when the container is received in the lower compartment, the open top of the container is substantially adjacent to the upper surface of the lower compartment. This limits the possibility of contaminants getting into the container when the container is received in the lower compartment. The system of the present invention also allows items stored in the container to quickly dry, even when the container is received in the lower compartment of the bag. In particular, by keeping the front flap, the rear flap, or both the front flap and the rear flap open, air is allowed to circulate through the porous sides of the container and allow the wet items stored therein to more readily dry. When the container is housed in the lower compartment the bag substantially blocks the view of the wet items that a user may not want visible to the general public.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with regard to the drawings as follows.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a bag made in accordance with the present invention with a front opening of a lower compartment closed by a front flap.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the bag of FIG. 1 with the front flap in an open position and a container removed from the lower compartment.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the bag of FIG. 1 with a rear flap in an open position and the container received in the lower compartment.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the bag of FIG. 1 with the front flap and the rear flap both in an open position.

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of the bag of FIG. 1 showing the upper compartment and the lower compartment with the container received in the lower compartment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described with reference to the Figures. It will be appreciated that other bag designs and appearances are possible which are consistent with the described function of the bag.

Referring first generally to FIGS. 1-5, a system 10 made in accordance with the present invention includes a bag 12 and a removable container 14 selectively stored within the bag 12. In particular, the bag 12 of the present invention defines an upper compartment 40 (shown in FIG. 5) and a lower compartment 50 (shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5) which is configured to selectively receive the removable container 14, as discussed further below.

With respect to the bag 12, a front side 20 of the bag 12 is formed of an upper panel 22 and a lower panel 24. A rear side 30 of the bag 12 is, likewise, formed of an upper panel 32 and a lower panel 34. As shown in FIG. 5, the bag 12 further includes a bottom panel 48 at the bottom of the bag 12 and an intermediate panel 46 positioned between and separating the upper compartment 40 and the lower compartment 50. In particular, in the exemplary bag 12 shown in FIG. 5, the bottom panel 48 is connected to rear side 30 of the bag 12 at the bottom of the lower panel 34 and the intermediate panel 46 is connected to the rear side 30 of the bag 12 at the seam between the upper panel 32 and the lower panel 34. Although not expressly shown, the bottom panel 48 and the intermediate panel 46 is similarly connected to the front side 20 of the bag 12.

The upper compartment 40 is defined by the upper panel 22 of the front side 20 of the bag 12, the upper panel 32 of the rear side 30 of the bag 12, and the intermediate panel 46. A user accesses the upper compartment 40 through an opening 42 at the top of the bag 12. In the exemplary bag 12, the opening 42 to the upper compartment 40 is selectively closed by a zipper 90, but other closing mean, such as buttons, snaps, hook-and-loops, and the like, can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The lower compartment 50 is defined by the lower panel 24 of the front side 20 of the bag 12, the lower panel 34 of the rear side 30 of the bag 12, the bottom panel 48, and the intermediate panel 46. More specifically, as perhaps best shown in FIG. 5, the intermediate panel 46 of the bag 12 defines an upper surface 52 of the lower compartment 50, the bottom panel 48 of the bag 12 defines a lower surface 54 of the lower compartment 50, and the lower panels 24, 34 of the bag 12 collectively define a first side surface 56 and a second side surface 58 of the lower compartment 50. In the exemplary bag 12 of the present invention, the intermediate panel 46 is attached to the front side 20 and rear side 30 of the bag such that the upper compartment 40 is not in communication with the lower compartment 50.

In the exemplary bag 12 of the present invention, the upper panels 22, 32 are formed of a substantially flexible material, such as a fabric. The lower panels 24, 34 are similarly formed of a substantially flexible materials, but further include additional materials which provide additional support and structure to the lower compartment 50. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, a layer of polyethylene filler, or the like, is included in the lower panel 24 of the front side 20 of the bag 12, the lower panel 34 of the rear side 30 of the bag 12, the bottom panel 48, and/or the intermediate panel 46. Of course, a person of ordinary skill would readily be able to select other materials depending on the particular intended use or of the bag of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, each of the lower panels 24, 34 define an opening 26, 36 to the lower compartment 50. That is to say, the lower panel 24 of the front side 20 of the bag 12 defines a first, or front, opening 26 to the lower compartment 50 and the lower panel 34 of the rear side 30 of the bag 12 defines a second, or rear, opening 36 to the lower compartment 50.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 in particular, the front opening 26 of the lower compartment 50 is selectively closed by a front door, which, in this embodiment, is in the form of a flap 28. As shown in FIG. 1, when the front flap 28 is in a closed position, the front flap 28 is substantially aligned with the surrounding lower panel 24 of the front side 20 of the bag 12 and a securing means, for example a zipper 92, is used to secure the front flap 28 to the lower panel 24 of the front side 20 of the bag 12. As shown in FIG. 2, when the front flap 28 is in an open position, the front flap 28 is rotated away from the opening 26 to provide substantially unobstructed access to the lower compartment 50. To this end, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the front flap 28 is pivotally connected to the front side 20 of the bag 12 along the bottom panel 48 of the bag 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 in particular, a rear door, or flap 38, is formed and operates in substantially the same way as the front flap 28. That is to say, although not expressly shown, when the rear flap 38 is in a closed position, the rear flap 38 is substantially aligned with the surrounding lower panel 34 of the rear side 30 of the bag 12 and a closing means, for example a zipper 94, is used to secure the rear flap 38 to the lower panel 34 of the rear side 30 of the bag 12. As shown in FIG. 3, when the rear flap 38 is in an open position, the rear flap 38 is rotated away from the opening 36 to provide unobstructed access to the lower compartment 50.

Of course the particular configuration of the flaps and zippers is only one exemplary means of closing the openings of the lower compartment. Other doors and/or other fastening mean can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, a rigid, or semi-rigid panel can be used instead of a flap or multiple flaps can be utilized which collectively close the opening. Likewise, other fastening means, such as buttons, snaps, hook-and-loops, and the like, can be used instead of a zipper.

Regardless of the particular connection, in the exemplary bag 12 of the present invention, each of the flaps 28, 38 opens to provide unobstructed access to the lower compartment 50. As shown in FIGS. 2-4, this allows for the container 14 to readily be removed from the lower compartment 50 as well as providing increased ventilation of the items stored in the container 14, as discussed in further detail below.

Turning now to the container 14 of the present invention, and once again to FIG. 2 in particular, the container 14 includes a bottom 72 and permeable sides 74 a, 74 b, 74 c, 74 d which define an open top 78 of the container 14. The exemplary container 14 shown in the Figures is formed of a rigid material, such as a plastic, and the sides 74 a, 74 b, 74 c, 74 d of the exemplary container 14 define a plurality of holes 76 which allow air to readily flow through the sides 74 a, 74 b, 74 c, 74 d of the container 14 and allow water vapor to exit the container 14. In other embodiments of the present invention, other materials and constructions of a container are utilized which still provide for a porous container. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, the sides of the container can include mesh or other highly porous materials in addition to, or instead of, holes defined through the sides. As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom 72 of the container 14 is not flat. It is contemplated that the curvy surface of the bottom 72 of the container 14 limits the points of contact between the container 14 and items stored in the container, thus improving overall drying of the items.

Regardless of the particular construction of the container 14, and referring once again to FIG. 5, in the exemplary system 10 of the present invention, the container 14 is configured to slide into the lower compartment 50 of the bag 12. In particular, the container 14 and lower compartment 50 of the bag 12 are configured, such that, when the container 14 is received in the lower compartment and the bottom 72 of the container 14 rests directly on the lower surface 54 of the lower compartment 50, the open top 78 of the container 14 is substantially adjacent to the upper surface 52 of the lower compartment 50. Likewise, one side 74 a of the container 14 is substantially adjacent to the first side surface 56 of the lower compartment 50 while another side 74 b of the container 14 is substantially adjacent to the second side surface 58 of the lower compartment 50. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the flaps 28, 38 are open, a front side 74 c of the container 14 is exposed and a rear side 74 d of the container 14 is exposed. Although not expressly shown, when the flaps 28, 38 are closed, the front flap 28 is substantially adjacent to front side 74 c of the container 14 and the rear flap 38 is substantially adjacent to the rear side 74 d of the container 14. In other words, the container 14 and the lower compartment 50 have substantially the same dimensions. This limits the possibility of contaminants getting into the container 14 when the container 14 is received in the lower compartment 50.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 in particular, the system 10 of the present invention also allows items stored in the container 14 to quickly dry, even when the container 14 is received in the lower compartment 50 of the bag 12. In particular, by keeping the front flap 28, the rear flap 38, or both the front flap 28 and the rear flap 38 open, air is allowed to circulate through the porous sides 74 a, 74 b, 74 c, 74 d of the container 14 and allow the wet items stored therein to more readily dry. When the container 14 is housed in the lower compartment 50 the bag 12 substantially blocks the view of the wet items that a user may not want visible to the general public.

In the exemplary embodiment described above, the bag 12 includes a first opening 26 to the lower compartment 50 located on the front side 20 of the bag 12 and a second opening 36 to the lower compartment 50 located on the rear side 30 of the bag 12. In other embodiments of the present invention, the lower compartment 50 can include only one opening located on either the front side 20 of the bag 12 or the rear side 30 of the bag 12. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the lower compartment can include a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening, with the openings on the left and right sides of the bag instead of the front and rear side of the bag. The particular number and location of the openings to the lower compartment is not limited so long as the openings effectively provide ventilation of items stored in the container when received in the lower compartment.

In addition to the advantages of the lower compartment 50 and removable container 14, the exemplary bag 12 of the present invention further includes other features which increase the overall functionality of the bag 12. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rear flap 38 includes elastic pen loops 39. Likewise, and referring now to FIG. 5, the upper compartment 40 also includes various organizational elements 44. Illustrated in FIG. 5 are two elastic pockets 44, however, other organizational elements including straps, rings, dividers, and the like can also be included without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the exemplary bag includes a side compartment 60 that includes an internal pocket 64 which extends into and is entirely located within the upper compartment 40. The internal pocket 64 of the side compartment 60 is accessed through an opening 62 defined at the seam between the upper panel 22 of the front side 20 of the bag 12 and the upper panel 32 of the rear side 30 of the bag 12. The opening 62 is selectively closed by a zipper 96, but other closing mean, such as buttons, snaps, hook-and-loops, and the like, can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, in order to assist a user in carrying the system 10 of the present invention, the exemplary bag 12 includes two upper straps 82 a, 82 b which function as a handle for the bag 12. In particular, a first upper strap 82 a is connected to the front side 20 of the bag 12 and a second upper strap 82 b is connected to the rear side 30 of the bag 12 with both of the straps 82 a, 82 b configured to extend above the opening 42 of the upper compartment 40. In this way, a user can grasp the upper straps 82 a, 82 b and carry the bag 12 as a tote bag.

In addition to the upper straps 82 a, 82 b, and referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 in particular, the exemplary bag 12 further includes a strap 84 which, in the embodiment shown in the Figures, is connected to the rear side 30 of the bag 12 to form backpack straps so a user can carry the bag 12 as a backpack. In particular, each end of the strap 84 is connected, by way of a snap bolt, or the like, to a lower connector 88 a, 88 b positioned adjacent to the rear opening 36 of the lower compartment 50 at each end of the strap 84. The strap 84 is threaded through a central connector 86 that is positioned on the rear side 30 of the bag 12 near the opening 42 of the upper compartment 40. In this exemplary embodiment, each of the lower connectors 88 a, 88 b and the central connector 86 are in the form of a D-ring operably connected to the rear side 30 of the bag 12. Other connections are also contemplated, but in any event, the strap 84 is preferably removeably connected to the lower connectors 88 a, 88 b and the central connector 86. In this way, although not shown, the strap 84 can also be connected to two additional side connectors 89 a, 89 b so that a user can carry the bag 12 as a messenger bag.

As previously mentioned, the lower connectors 88 a, 88 b are positioned adjacent to the rear opening 36 of the lower compartment 40. As shown in the exemplary embodiment of the bag 12 of the present invention, the lower connectors 88 a, 88 b are preferably positioned above the rear opening 36 of the lower compartment 50 such that the strap 84 remains out of the way of the rear opening 36 when opened.

One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additional embodiments are also possible without departing from the teachings of the presently-disclosed subject matter. This detailed description, and particularly the specific details of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, is given primarily for clarity of understanding, and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the presently-disclosed subject matter. 

1. A system for drying items stored in a bag, the system comprising: a bag defining an upper compartment and a lower compartment, the lower compartment having one or more closeable openings; and a removable container selectively received in the lower compartment of the bag, the removable container including permeable sides and an open top.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more openings comprise a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the bag has a front side and a rear side opposite the front side, the first opening is positioned at the front side of the bag, and the second opening is positioned at the rear side of the bag.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the bag further includes straps connected to the rear side of the bag above the second opening of the lower compartment.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sides of the removable container define a plurality of holes.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the removable container is made of a rigid material.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the upper compartment has an opening at a top of the bag.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the bag further includes an intermediate panel positioned between and separating the lower compartment from the upper compartment.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the intermediate panel forms an upper surface of the lower compartment, such that, when the container is received in the lower compartment, the open top of the container is substantially adjacent to the upper surface of the lower compartment.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the upper compartment is not in communication with the lower compartment.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the bag further includes a door that selectively closes each of the one or more closeable openings.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the door includes a flap with a zipper for closing the one or more closeable openings.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the removable container is permeable to air, water vapor, or both air and water vapor.
 14. A system for drying items stored in a bag, the system comprising: a bag having a front side and a rear side opposite the front side, the bag defining an upper compartment and a lower compartment with an intermediate panel positioned between and separating the lower compartment from the upper compartment, the lower compartment having a first opening positioned at the front side of the bag and a second opening positioned at the rear side of the bag, each of the first opening and the second opening selectively closed by a door; and a removable container selectively received in the lower compartment of the bag, the removable container including permeable sides and an open top.
 15. A bag comprising: a front side; a rear side opposite the front side; an intermediate panel connected to the front side and the rear side; and a bottom panel connected to the front side and the rear side; wherein, the front side, the rear side, and the intermediate panel define an upper compartment with an opening at a top of the bag; and wherein the front side, the rear side, the intermediate panel, and the bottom panel define a lower compartment with the intermediate panel positioned between and separating the lower compartment from the upper compartment, the lower compartment having a first opening positioned at the front side of the bag and a second opening positioned at the rear side of the bag, each of the first opening and the second opening selectively closed by a door.
 16. The bag of claim 15, wherein the lower compartment is configured to selectively receive a removable container. 